Poll Position presented by Keyser Manufacturing
Top 25: J.D. storms back to lead power rankings
By Kevin Kovac
DirtonDirt senior writer
Jonathan Davenport (heathlawsonphotos.coml)
Propelled by a pair of victories in the World Finals, Jonathan Davenport of Blairsville, Ga., vaulted to the top of DirtonDirt’s power rankings for the first time in nearly eight months.
Davenport, 42, absorbed a 28th-place finish due to mechanical trouble in Thursday’s opener of the season-ending World of Outlaws Real American Beer Late Model Series weekend at The Dirt Track at Charlotte in Concord, N.C., but he stormed back with a flag-to-flag triumph worth $15,000 in Friday’s 35-lap feature and a stirring $25,000 win over Thursday victor Hudson O’Neal of Martinsville, Ind., in Saturday’s 50-lap finale. The checkered flags made him the winningest driver in World Finals history — with eight victories, he overtook Jimmy Owens of Newport, Tenn. — and earned him eight of 10 first-place votes to take the No. 1 spot in the Keyser Manufacturing-sponsored Top 25 poll.
Ranked fourth in the last poll conducted following the Oct. 16-18 weekend of racing, Davenport landed at No. 1 for the first time since March 18. It marks the 70th week all-time that he’s led the voting, second only to the 107 weeks that Brandon Sheppard of New Berlin, Ill., has claimed top-ranked status.
Bobby Pierce of Oakwood, Ill., who regained the No. 1 spot in the last poll following his $100,000 victory in the Dirt Track World Championship, fell to the second spot after a frustrating World Finals. He effectively clinched his second WoO title in three years in Thursday’s opener but failed to record a single top-10 run, tallying finishes of 12th, 16th and 23rd.
Ricky Thornton Jr. of Chandler, Ariz., remained at No. 3 after a weekend at Charlotte that saw him log a best finish of sixth on Thursday. The 25-year-old O’Neal, meanwhile, jumped four positions to No. 4 on the strength of three World Finals top-fives: a last-lap win over Sheppard on Thursday, a fifth on Friday and a close runner-up to Davenport in Saturday’s finale.
Tying for the No. 5 spot was Nick Hoffman of Mooresville, N.C., and Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series champion Devin Moran of Dresden, Ohio. Hoffman registered three top-10s finished at Charlotte to stay fifth in the rankings while Moran tumbled three positions following three World Finals DNQs.
Tyler Erb of New Waverly, Texas, who capped the World Finals with consecutive finishes of fourth and fifth, gained three spots in the poll to reach No. 8.
Drake Troutman of Hyndman, Pa., exploded back into the Top 25 with three podium finishes at the World Finals, landing at No. 19. Sam Seawright of Rainsville, Ala., also returned to the rankings at No. 25 following a $10,000 Southern Thunder Super Dirt Series triumph in the final race ever at Clarksville (Tenn.) Speedway.
Carson Ferguson of Lincolnton, N.C., and Ashton Winger of Hampton, Ga., dropped out.
Voting is done by a 10-member committee made up of staffers and contributors to determine the Top 25 power rankings: Richard Allen, Bryan Ault, Jeff Broeg, Kelley Carlton, Ryan Delph, Josh James, Kevin Kovac, Kyle McFadden, Mike Ruefer and Kyle Symons. Results are compiled and tabulated by Todd Turner, who serves as a voting alternate along with fellow staffer Aaron Clay.
Rankings appear Tuesdays through mid-November provided at least half of the drivers in the current rankings are in action in the previous week. (No balloting was held the previous two weeks.)
1. Jonathan Davenport, Blairsville, Ga.
Comment: After mechanical trouble in opener, roars back with consecutive wins worth combined $40,000 to cap World Finals and become event’s all-time winningest driver. Eyeing FloRacing championship this weekend at Senoia. Series points: 3rd (Lucas Oil); 2nd (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 4th (+3)
2. Bobby Pierce, Oakwood, Ill.
Comment: Clinches second WoO title in three years in World Finals opener, but weekend is otherwise forgettable as he fails to log single top-10 finish. Takes FloRacing points lead into season-ending doubleheader at Senoia. Series points: Champion (WoO). 1st (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 1st (-1)
3. Ricky Thornton Jr., Chandler, Ariz.
Comment: No joy at Charlotte with sixth-place finish in opener his best in two feature starts. Heads to Senoia where he swept last year’s Peach State Classic. Series points: 2nd (Lucas Oil); 3rd (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 3rd (nc)
4. Hudson O’Neal, Martinsville, Ind.
Comment: Weekend in K&L Rumley No. 6 yields $15,000, last-lap victory in World Finals opener and runner-up in finale with a fifth-place finish in between. Back in SSI Motorsports No. 71 for Senoia’s action. Series points: 4th (Lucas Oil); 5th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 8th (+4)
T5. Nick Hoffman, Mooresville, N.C.
Comment: Finishes off second-place finish in WoO points with three top-10 runs at Charlotte topped by a fourth in opener. Trip to Senoia on tap. Series points: 2nd (WoO); 9th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 5th (nc)
T5. Devin Moran, Dresden, Ohio
Comment: Visit to Charlotte goes bad quickly with tangle in opening-night heat race and doesn’t improve as Lucas Oil Series champ fails to qualify all three nights. Hoping for rebound at Senoia. Series points: Champion (Lucas Oil). Previous ranking: 2nd (-3)
7. Brandon Sheppard, New Berlin, Ill.
Comment: Suffers heartbreaking final-lap loss in World Finals opener, but finishes of second, third and fourth send him home feeling good. Ready to take Rocket1 machine to Senoia. Series points: 5th (Lucas Oil); 5th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 6th (-1)
8. Tyler Erb, New Waverly, Texas
Comment: Solid Charlotte weekend includes finishes of fourth (Friday) and fifth (Saturday). Searching for Senoia success to close outdoor racing for 2025. Series points: 2nd (Summer Nationals). Previous ranking: 11th (+3)
9. Tim McCreadie, Watertown, N.Y.
Comment: Quietly tallies three top-10 finishes (ninth, eighth, ninth) to close WoO campaign with fourth-place points result. Staying down south for Senoia’s weekend. Series points: 4th (WoO). Previous ranking: 7th (-2)
10. Garrett Alberson, Las Cruces, N.M.
Comment: Following weekend off, trip to Senoia for FloRacing finale is ahead. Series points: 6th (Lucas Oil); 10th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 9th (-1)
11. Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa
Comment: World Finals highlight is 25th-to-seventh charge in opener, but hangs on for third-place finish in standings. Series points: 3rd (WoO); 6th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 10th (-1)
12. Brandon Overton, Evans, Ga.
Comment: Scores a couple of top-10s at Charlotte, placing seventh in opener and 10th in finale. Gets home track weekend at Senoia next. Series points: 7th (Lucas Oil). Previous ranking: 14th (+2)
13. Dennis Erb Jr., Carpentersville, Ill.
Comment: Sixth-place finish on Friday tops veteran’s weekend at Charlotte. Remaining on road for Senoia’s twinbill. Series points: 5th (WoO); 7th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 12th (-1)
14. Chris Madden, Gray Court, S.C.
Comment: Mechanical trouble keeps him out of Friday’s World Finals feature, but fifth- and eighth-place finishes make weekend respectable. Excited to tackle Senoia, a track where he typically runs well. Series points: None. Previous ranking: T15th (+1)
15. Dale McDowell, Chickamauga, Ga.
Comment: Qualifies for all three World Finals features but tops out with an 11th in Thursday’s opener and scratches from Saturday’s finale. Will he bid for victory at Senoia? Series points: None. Previous ranking: T15th (nc)
16. Jason Feger, Bloomington, Ill.
Comment: Will end three straight race-less weekends with long haul to Senoia for FloRacing finale. Series points: Champion (MARS and Summer Nationals). Previous ranking: 17th (+1)
17. Brian Shirley, Chatham, Ill.
Comment: Friday’s 10th-place finish is his best of World Finals. Next race ons schedule is Dec. 4-6’s Gateway Dirt Nationals. Series points: 7th (WoO); 8th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 13th (-4)
18. Mike Marlar, Winfield, Tenn.
Comment: Starts every feature at World Finals but 13th on Friday is best finish. Gateway Dirt Nationals listed next on schedule. Series points: None. Previous ranking: 21st (+3)
19. Drake Troutman, Hyndman, Pa.
Comment: Enjoys WoO Rookie of the Year season with a flourish at Charlotte, sandwiching a runner-up finish on Friday with a pair of third-place outings. Pointed toward Gateway Dirt Nationals to cap 2025 season with Team 22 Inc. Series points: 6th (WoO). Previous ranking: Unranked
20. Cory Hedgecock, Loudon, Tenn.
Comment: Departs Charlotte after failing to qualify for both preliminary features but salvages weekend with third-place finish in Southern Thunder event that closes Tennessee’s Clarksville Speedway. Trekking to Georgia for Senoia’s FloRacing doubleheader. Series points: 2nd (Hunt the Front); 5th (Southern Thunder). Previous ranking: 18th (-2)
21. Jimmy Owens, Newport, Tenn.
Comment: Transfers into every World Finals A-main but finishes no better than 15th. Gateway Dirt Nationals currently next event on his schedule. Series points: Champion (Hunt the Front); T2nd (Southern Nationals). Previous ranking: 23rd (+2)
22. Max Blair, Centerville, Pa.
Comment: Idle since last month’s Dirt Track World Championship at Eldora. Series points: None. Previous ranking: T19th (-3)
23. Zack Mitchell, Enoree, S.C.
Comment: Weekend at Charlotte a frustrating one with three DNQs. Series points: 4th (Hunt the Front); 4th (Southern Thunder). Previous ranking: T19th (-4)
24. Josh Rice, Crittenden, Ky.
Comment: First World Finals attempt since 2015 produces little aside from laps with JRR Motorsports team as he fails to crack a feature field. Next race on schedule is Gateway Dirt Nationals, where he’ll make final start in Rick Jones’s Sunesis-sponsored machine. Series points: Champion (Northern Allstars). Previous ranking: 24th (nc)
25. Sam Seawright, Rainsville, Ala.
Comment: Writes name in history book as winner of final race ever at Clarksville Speedway, capturing Saturday’s $10,000 Southern Thunder feature. Series points: 7th (Hunt the Front). Previous ranking: Unranked
Dropped out: Carson Ferguson, Ashton Winger
Others receiving votes: Carson Ferguson, Ashton Winger, Cade Dillard, Mason Zeigler, Chris Ferguson, Tanner English, Trever Feathers, Dustin Sorensen, Daulton Wilson, Gregg Satterlee, Cody Overton.
